


That Flesh is Heir To

by Caro (thestarsexist)



Category: Stargate Atlantis
Genre: Episode Related, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-12-08
Updated: 2007-12-08
Packaged: 2017-10-15 20:54:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/164845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestarsexist/pseuds/Caro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Coda to Mortal Coil</p>
            </blockquote>





	That Flesh is Heir To

**Author's Note:**

> I literally could not sleep until I got this down. Thanks to [**scribblinlenore**](http://scribblinlenore.livejournal.com/) for the early morning beta. Title taken from the same place the episode writers borrowed theirs from.

It was late, way too late, when John heard the shuffle of feet behind him and a throat clearing anxiously.

"You're supposed to be asleep," John said, even as Rodney came into view.

"I know." He dropped down to sit beside him, appropriating the same rock that John had been using to lean against.

"You're supposed to be relieving me in a couple of hours." John pointed out. "If you don't get some sleep now, you're not going to be much use to me."

"Oh please." Rodney made a face. "We both know that you wouldn't have woken me up."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Rodney stated matter-of-factly, folding his arms against his chest. Then he sighed. "Not that I could go to sleep even if I wanted to. My mind, it just won't shut up."

"Not the only thing."

"Oh, har har, Colonel. Very funny." He scowled. "I can't stop thinking about tomorrow. Do you think it'll work—they'll actually come? Will trust us?"

"It's the best plan we've got, Rodney."

"It's sad, isn't it?"

"What is?"

"I keep thinking—well, back there, on Atlantis, or not Atlantis as the case may be, when I first saw Elizabeth in that room, I just, I remember being so *relieved.* Cause she was alive. I mean, it's not like I didn't know something was fishy, but man, I mean, she was alive, you know?"

John nodded. He did know.

"And tomorrow, we're going to contact these people. And I mean—using Elizabeth, that's, you know they're going to think…"

"They're not going to listen to me."

"No, I know. It is a good plan. It's just—it sucks. They'll be happy, and then it'll get taken away from them."

"Rodney."

"I hate knowing we'll be responsible for that."

"We don't have a choice. We have to save Atlantis. It's what we do."

Rodney gave a mirthless chuckle at that. "What _we_ do."

"Just because we're not—I can't turn my back on Atlantis. Can you?

"No." Rodney agreed. "I just wish—I wish a lot of things."

John leaned back against the rock and closed his eyes. "Me too, buddy." Even now he could feel the urge to get back to Atlantis, to home, except it wasn't home. It wasn't going to be home, and if he knew himself, there was no way his counterpart would ever let them step foot on Atlantis. And even if he did, John wasn't sure he'd want to go, knowing that he didn't have a place there, knowing that his slot there was already occupied. It wasn't his city, wasn't his…

 _Home_.

Just the thought made something clench in his chest.

"Hey." He felt soft fingers brush against his cheek. When he opened his eyes, Rodney's face was close to his, staring at him. "You okay?"

"Probably not," John admitted.

Rodney nodded. "Yeah." He settled back down against John, head on his shoulder, face tucked into John's neck, one arm carelessly slung around John's waist. John was about to make some comment, some joke about not knowing McKay was so cuddly, when he heard Rodney say, "I love you, you know that?"

He stilled.

"I mean, at least he loves his Colonel. It's in here, the memory of that. So it must be true. And I keep thinking, wondering, if his Sheppard knows that. If he ever told him. And I thought, wondered, if *you* knew. Because, I know we have this thing. I mean, the sex. It's great, and we both like it, but. I just. I wanted you to know because you're—well," Rodney took a shaky breath, "you're it for me. You're John."

"Rodney," John whispered.

"Don't tell me it's not real. I mean, I know we're not _them_ and—"

John grasped Rodney by the arms and pushed him back so he could look at his face, wide eyed and terrified and hopeful and god, so fucking _Rodney_.

"We're real. We're—"Dammit, words weren't his strong suit, not like Rodney who was as proficient with them as he was with the Ancient devices, but John could show, could let Rodney know. He pressed his lips to Rodney's, mouth open and hungry, kissing him slow, and deep, and wet, giving him all those things he'd never allowed himself to say Atlantis:

 _We're real. You're real. You're mine. I'm yours_.

"Okay, John, okay," Rodney mumbled against his mouth, hands wrapping around John's shoulders to pull him in closer, to pull him in home.

(end)  



End file.
